I know you care
by ashleighcheryl
Summary: Alex is hiding a dark secret, can Gene convince her to open up to him? Don't know whether this will be a one shot or more.
1. Chapter 1

After what HE had done to her, she couldn't trust anyone. Every night was spent reliving every moment. The burn of pain as the knife pressed against her neck. The scent of metallic blood filling the air mixed with the saltiness of her tears. Her sobs of despair and screams of absolute agony were the only things that echoed in that room. She could still feel his rough hands as he tugged her clothes off. Her own private hell. She could still smell the stench of perspiration and his cologne mixed together, his breath on her face..his hands touching her.

She was stuck in this place, misogynistic dinosaurs surrounding her with the personality of a bloody doormat! What did she do to deserve to be stuck here? Hadn't she put up with enough shit throughout her life?

She got out of bed, stretching as she walked towards the bathroom. She looked at her deathly pallor and sunken cheeks in the mirror. She'd lost too much weight, buried herself in baggy clothes. Her spark had gone, but she couldn't eat, her nightmares getting worse. She pinched her cheeks to try and get some colour to return to them and sighed before opening her make up bag and beginning to get ready for the days work ahead of her...

As she entered CID, she felt every person look at her and suddenly began to feel very self conscious. What were they staring at? She swallowed, clearing her throat and walked to her desk, sitting down without saying a word.

He was getting worried about her now. The pale, pained expression that she held. The smile that never reached her eyes and her wonderful figure...gone. And in it's place was a bag of bones. He'd tried speaking to her, but she just put her walls back up. Wouldn't let him in. What could he do? It wasn't like him to be like this with a woman, but she was different. Her whole persona drew him in, he thrived off her presence every single day and just a minute away from her made him long more and more for her. He wanted to protect her, to save her from whatever was going on in her head.

She didn't know how much more of this she could take. She was a psychologist for goodness sake! She wasn't supposed to be weak, she was a headstrong feminist. But right now, he was ruling her life. She was alone, he'd taken everything from her. She dug her fingernails into her palm as tears stung her eyes. She willed herself not to cry as she pretended to concentrate on her work. The words swam before her on the page. It was no use, Alex Drake was broken.

The day slowly drifted on, Alex fighting sleep as she trawled through the pile of paperwork. There were no recent cases on and she was incredibly bored. As the day came to an end, Gene left his office. "Coming fer a drink, Bolls?" He asked. "I'll just have one." She replied, pulling her jacket on.

They left the station together and went over to Luigi's, ordered their drinks and sat down together. Alex didn't say much, lost in her own thoughts. "What's eating yer?" Gene asked, eventually breaking the silence. Alex froze, her heart pounding in her chest. "N..nothing." She stuttered. "It's just been a long day, I'm tired." She forced a smile. Gene once again noticed it didn't reach her eyes. Luigi's was practically empty, most of the team had gone to play football. He placed his hand over hers. She flinched, but didn't move it away. "Talk to me Alex." He pleaded. "Not here." She whispered, the familiar burn of tears forming in her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Now is not the right time either." He sighed, looking at her. Icy blue eyes locked with hazel orbs. "Please?" He asked again. She hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "My flat?" She suggested. Gene threw the rest of his drink down his throat as Alex stood.

Once they were in her flat, Alex felt the fear build up inside her. Her stomach churned, her mouth dry. She was sure that Gene could hear her heart beat, it was pounding that much. Could she really trust him? Open up to him? She didn't know and just had to wait and see what would happen. She poured them a measure of whiskey each: she needed it to calm her nerves. Her hand trembled as she handed him the tumbler, this didn't go unnoticed by Gene. He exhaled softly and sat back on the sofa. Alex sat beside him, staring down into the amber liquid. She licked her lips nervously before clearing her throat. "I don't really know how to tell you." She said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "Take yer time." Gene said, his usual gruff tone, softer and his eyes understanding. A tear trickled down her cheek, her head bowed. "Before I came here, I was captured whilst I was on my way to work." She began, her voice shaky. Her hands trembled and a sob tore itself from her throat. She couldn't compose herself and she didn't even care. "I woke up in an abandoned building, I didn't even know where I was. My clothes were ripped...bruises, scratches and cuts all over me. I was held there for days before my team finally found me. I can remember every single waking second of it." She pulled her hair aside to reveal a thin, white scar on her neck. "He almost killed me." She whispered, tears now falling freely. She didn't feel Gene slide his arm around her waist, mutter soothing words into her hair and wipe her tears away. "It's okay." He whispered. He finally understood why she pushed him away. What he would give to have five minutes with the scrote that did this to HIS Alex.

"Tell me, Alex. Did he rape you?" Gene asked softly. She just nodded, tears falling freely. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her. This was totally out of character for him, but she needed him. And he was going to be there to make sure she was okay. Eventually her sobs subsided and her tears dried up. She wiped her eyes, taking a deep, shuddery breath. "Bolls?" Gene said softly. "Yes?" She asked, looking at him again. "I'm gonna help you.. Help you to get over this and I'm gonna kill the bastard that did this to you." He growled, feeling very protective of her. She just nodded, smiling wanly before she yawned widely. "You need some sleep Bolls." He spoke gruffly. Her eyes widened with fear and she shook her head. "No... I...I'm not tired." She said, her voice quiet. "I can't sleep." Even though it was partly a lie, she couldn't sleep at night, the images still haunting her everytime she closed her eyes. His voice in her head. Nine times out of ten, she managed to get an hour or so of sleep due to exhaustion. "Come on Alex, you're dead on your feet." Gene tried to reason with her. "No..I can't..." Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to go to sleep...he's always there when I tried." A tear escaped the corner of her eye and she wiped it away. "I'll stay with you, Bolly. Do you think that will help?" He asked. She nodded timidly. "Come on then." He stood up.

She emerged from the bathroom wearing her pyjama's. Gene had removed his shirt and was just wearing his vest and trousers. If she wasn't so god damn tired and traumatised, she'd have pushed him onto the bed and had her wicked way with him. 'God, he's gorgeous' she thought to herself as she climbed into bed. He climbed in beside her, pulling her into his arms again. She switched the lamp off and settled down. "Thank you Gene." She whispered before she closed her eyes. He pressed his lips to her forehead and smiled.

For the first time in years, Alex slept soundly all through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

When Alex awoke the next morning, she panicked slightly as she felt the strong pair of arms that were wrapped around her waist. Then she realised it was Gene and gave a sigh of relief. She watched him sleep, noticed how relaxed and at peace he seemed. His hair was tousled and his familiar pout was set on his lips. She smiled to herself and rested her head on his shoulder as she listened to his steady breathing, his beating heart.

When he awoke, Alex was in the bathroom. She'd had a shower and was busy getting dressed. "Bolls?" He called, slightly panicked. She emerged from the bathroom and entered the bedroom. "I'm here, don't worry." She smiled slightly. "Christ, you worried me then." He said as Alex sat down. "Did you sleep okay?" He asked her. "A lot better than I have been, thanks." She said quietly. He nodded and sat up before getting out of bed, finding his shirt and beginning to get dressed properly. Alex felt a little awkward and looked around the room, trying to look anywhere but at Gene. "I'd better go home, get some clean clothes." He said eventually. "Okay, i'll see you at work." Alex said, smiling softly. Gene noticed a change in her, but her eyes still held a haunted expression. He kissed her softly on the forehead before leaving her flat to go home.

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Once Alex was ready, she headed over to the station. She couldn't see Gene's Quattro, so assumed he was still at home. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and headed inside. Viv said good morning to her and she muttered it back, feeling very self conscious again. Everything was okay when Gene was there, but when he wasn't she felt the darkness looming over her again. Although she'd slept well the previous night, she still felt mentally and emotionally drained. The memories were racing through her mind again. All because he wasn't there.

As Gene stomped through the doors an hour later, Alex felt relief washing over her. She kept her head down as she filled in reports of a missing girl that they'd recieved a phonecall about that morning. "Right, you useless bastards, what have we got today?" He asked. "A Mr Matthews rang in this morning about his missing daughter. She's sixteen and him or his wife haven't seen her for at least three days now. Blonde hair, blue eyes. He told us that she was wearing a pair of black leggings and a purple jumper the last time he saw her, which was when she said goodbye before going out to lunch with a friend." Alex explained. "Right, we need to go and speak to the girl's friend." Gene said gruffly. "Do we 'ave a name?" He asked. "Sarah Jones. DI Drake has the adress." Chris piped up. "Right Bolly, wi' me." He said. Alex grabbed her coat and left CID with him.

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It took them a good half an hour to reach the adress of Sarah Jones. Alex had remained silent throughout the whole journey, Gene knew he should have spoken to her, but he didn't know what to say. He watched her expression, it was like she was in constant pain, hunched over as she fought to forget all of the things running through her mind. What was going on in her head? He needed to find her some help, and fast before she ended up making herself permanently ill.

They left the car and walked up to the door, Alex knocked on. Minutes later, a teenage girl answered the door. "Hello, Sarah. I'm DI Drake and this is DCI Hunt." She introduced them both. "We're here to talk to you about Honey Matthew's disappearance." She explained. The girl nodded sadly and let them in. They went through to the lounge area. "Take a seat." Sarah said and Alex sat down, Gene sat next to her. She could smell his cologne, the presence of him made her feel dizzy. She cleared her throat and waited for Sarah to sit down. "Right, Sarah. Could you talk me through the events of the day when Sarah went missing?" She asked. Sarah clasped her hands together and looked at the floor. "I recieved a strange phonecall from her. She was at a phonebox. She said she was going to be late for meeting me at lunchtime, wouldn't explain why. I was a little worried about her, she's never usually like this. She's always on time, never lets anyone down. So I waited for her, she turned up and I noticed she was still acting weird. Always looking over her shoulder, jumping at the slightest noise. We ate lunch together and went our seperate ways. She told me she was going to the library to find some books and that's the last I heard from her." She explained. "Then, i'd been at home for a few hours when her dad rang me, asking where she was. I told him she'd said she was going to the library, but by the time he'd rang me, the library would've been closed." She sighed. "I don't know what the hell was up with her that day, but she was really freaked out. Maybe she was in some kind of trouble? I don't know." She sighed, her eyes filling with tears. Alex finished taking notes on what she'd said. "Is there anything else you can tell us?" She asked. Sarah shook her head, wiping her eyes. "Thank you for your time." Gene said gruffly before he and Alex left the house.

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"What a waste of time..." Alex sighed as they drove back to the station. "We haven't found anything out." "Don't give up hope yet." Gene replied, just as his radio crackled. "Guv.. we've found a body." Ray said. Alex felt her heart sink. "And it looks like Honey Matthews, you'd better come to the community centre on Red street." He said. Gene quickly turned the Quattro around and sped towards Red street.

They arrived quickly and raced inside the building. Ray walked over to them, looking grave. "It's her." He sighed. Alex went over to the body, almost vomiting at the sight. Her clothes were missing, she had just her underwear on. Bruises were scattered on her body, cuts here and there, a red ring around her neck where she'd been strangled. She gagged at the sight, images flashing before her eyes. Stumbling away, she tried to compose herself before she broke down in tears. Gene noticed this and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. Ray had gone to talk to forensics so they were alone. "Alex... It's going to be okay." He reassured her. "The memories and flashbacks won't stop." She whispered, trembling in his arms. "Tomorrow, we're going to the doctors." He said firmly. Her stomach churned at the thought of going to the doctors, she didn't want anyone else finding out. "No... I can't Gene." She said, her eyes full of fear and worry. "Nobody else can know." She whispered. "You need help, Alex. Let me help you?" He lifted her chin with his finger. His eyes met hers again and she nodded. "Yes."

Forensics brushed the crime scene for prints and closed it off for further investigation. They left as Honey's body was taken to the morgue to find out the cause of death; even though it was pretty obvious. After a tiring and emotional day, Alex just went straight home, deciding to give Luigi's a miss. She'd not eaten all day and wasn't even hungry. She felt sick. She curled on the sofa with a glass of wine, staring at the red liquid. She heard a knock and her stomach churned again. She wasn't expecting anyone. She placed her glass on the coffee table and got up, going to answer the door. Standing there was Gene, holding a takeaway bag and a bottle of wine. "Evenin', Bolls. Thought you could do with some company."


	3. Chapter 3

Another night spent with Gene was too much. She was getting too reliant on him, panicking when he wasnt there with her. She loved waking up in his arms though, watching him sleep. She didn't know what the definition of their relationship was right now, but she didn't care. He was helping her to heal. She was getting better as each day went on. Maybe in time, with his help she'd be able to put her trust back into people again. She only hoped things could go back to normal, that she'd be happy, not this shadow, killing herself slowly, living in fear all of the time, too scared to do anything.

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She remained deep in thought as she stirred her coffee. A voice brought her out of her little daydream. A voice that she prayed she'd never have to hear again. A shiver ran down her spine as she left the kitchen, her heart beating quickly. She popped her head around the corner. As she saw him, her whole world came crashing down. She couldn't breathe, she was shaking. "DCI Jim Keats." He introduced himself as. "I've been transferred in to help with the Honey Matthews case." Why was this happening to her? She quickly left the kitchen, going outside. She took some deep breaths, tears pouring down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with her hand as she sobbed. Just as things were getting better, it got worse. One step forward, two steps back. The world spun and she closed her eyes as she heaved, her stomach churning.

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Gene wondered where she'd gone, he saw her leave suddenly. Something was wrong. He walked down the corridor and out of the station where he noticed her sat on one of the steps, shaking and rocking back and forth. "Bolly?" He asked, approaching her. She turned to look at him, her eyes red. "What's wrong?" He said. "It's... oh god Gene, it's him..." She whispered, gagging again. "I feel sick... I can't work here with him." She said, her eyes full of fear. "I'll kill him." Gene growled, feeling his temper rising. He helped Alex up and wiped her eyes. "Come on Bolly, let's go and teach him a lesson." He said angrily. They walked into the station, Alex still shaking. They entered CID and as soon as Jim saw her, a smirk grew on his face. "Hello again, Alex." He said, his eyes running over her body, grinning slyly. Gene grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "I think we need to talk, Keats." He growled, his voice laced with venom as he dragged him out of the room. "Don't think this is the end, Alex! I'll get you one day." Jim called, laughing.

Gene opened the interview room door and shoved Keats inside, so hard that he almost fell over. "What's up, Hunt? Pissed off that i've got into her knickers before you? I've seen the way you look at her, you love her so much that it hurts.." He hissed. Before he could say anything else, Gene punched him. "You're sick.. how could you do that to a woman? Have you seen the state of her? You raped, tortured and traumatised an innocent woman! Do you have no morals at all?" He didn't think twice about punching him again, blood splurting everywhere as Jim fell to the floor, groaning and muttering under his breath. "I'd do it again." He laughed, spitting some blood out. That was the breaking point for Gene, he saw red. He pulled him to his feet and slammed him against the wall. "You're scum!" He roared, his hand around his throat. He tightened his grip until Jim was gasping for air. He released him and tossed him away like some useless piece of rubbish and kicked him in the side for good measure. He couldn't stop, the adrenaline was pumping around his body, his heart racing. This was for Alex. Several times, he kicked, punched and did whatever he could do to inflict pain on this monster to try and give him the smallest idea of the kind of hell he put Alex through. Keats was a battered bloody mess by this point and Ray entered the room, pulling Gene away. "Guv... come on... DI Drake, I don't know what to do. She's in a state." He said. "Get that... thing in the cells!" He shouted as he left the interview room. Ray got one of the WPC's to take Keats to the cells.

He walked into CID and saw Alex, hunched over, her head in her hands as she cried quietly. Shaz was trying her best to comfort her. Gene went over to her desk. "Bolly, come on. I'm taking you home." He said. "I want Keats interviewed today, drop the Honey Matthews case for now, charge Keats for rape and attempted murder." He told the team as he helped Alex with her coat, grabbed his car keys and guided her out of CID.

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She couldn't stop shaking, her head aching from crying. Gene practically had to carry her inside her flat, her legs were weak, her stomach churning, her heart pounding. "Come on Bolls, it's going to be alright. He's going down for a very long time." He said as he sat her down on the sofa, kneeling in front of her. He cupped her face in her hands. Tears were still rolling down her cheeks. "I'm scared... he's going to come for me again." She sobbed, her arms wrapped around herself as some sort of protection. "No he's not, I won't let him, Alex. I'm here to protect you." He promised her. "This is just my luck... Things were getting better and now, I feel like I'm back at square one again." She wiped her eyes with trembling hands. "God, I'm such a state. What must you think of me?" She sighed. "I don't care about what you look like, I'm just concerned about your safety." He told her, moving to sit beside her on the sofa, wrapping an arm around her waist. She buried her face against his chest, beginning to feel calm again, her heart rate slowing down. Her stomach stopped churning and she stopped crying. As long as she was with Gene, she knew she'd be safe.

xxxxxx

Eventually, she fell asleep from exhaustion and Gene carried her through to her bedroom, took her coat and shoes off before laying her down on the bed. He stayed awake, so he'd be there reassuring her that she was okay when she awoke from a nightmare, wiping her tears away. She gave up with sleep in the end, too scared and traumatised to close her eyes because every time she did, she saw him.

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It was going to take a long time for her to return to normal again, but Gene knew he'd be there for her every step of the way. He'd have killed Keats if it wouldn't have meant he'd lost his job and gone to prison. He wouldn't let anyone else hurt her again, he'd tear them limb from limb, hunt anyone down and do whatever he had to do to make sure she was safe.

"Gene?" She whispered. "Yes, Bolls?" He asked. "Why are you doing this? Why are you spending your time looking after me, someone broken, no good..." She said, her voice trembling slightly. Gene wanted to tell her how he really felt, but he knew it wasn't the right time. "Because, you're Bolly knickers, my nutty, brainy DI, and I care about you." He said, holding her tightly.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex and Gene had decided to leave going to work the next day. Instead, she booked an appointment with a counsellor to talk about her problems.

"I'm not looking forward to this." Alex sighed as they sat outside the counsellor's room. "It'll be fine, Bolls. I'm here for you; I'm not going to leave you." He reassured her. She nodded, nervously fiddling with the chain of her necklace. Ten minutes later they were called in, Alex's stomach began to churn again, her heart racing. She could feel her anxiety levels rising. Gene squeezed her hand gently which helped to calm her a little as she sat down.

"Hello Alex, my name is Marie." The counsellor said with a kind smile. 'Here we go...' Alex thought as she sat down, mentally preparing herself to re-live her own personal hell.

Two exhausting hours later, they left the surgery Alex's face was stained with tears, her mascara smudged. "Sorry for the state of me." She whispered. Gene wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You don't need to apologise for anything, Bolls." He said. "Thank you for all of your support." She smiled weakly. "God, I need a drink." She sighed. "Luigi's?" Gene suggested. Alex nodded, running her tongue over her dry lips. They got into the Quattro and Gene quickly drove to Luigi's. They went inside and Alex sat at the bar as Gene ordered the drinks.

Several hours and drinks later, they were both stumbling up to Alex's flat. She could hardly locate the key hole as she tried to unlock the door. Eventually she managed to do it and let them both inside. Gene went through to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. Alex was trying to take her boots off and the next thing Gene heard was a shriek of surprise and a thud as Alex fell over. He found her, laughing as she lay flat on her back. God, she hasn't laughed like that for a long time. Gene noticed how the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes showed and the harmonious sound that came from her lips was like music to his ears. He felt like his old Alex was returning. After a few seconds he realised he was staring at her and drunkenly helped her up. "What are you doing, daft mare?" He muttered. "Trying to take my boots off." She slurred, still giggling. He steered her through to the bedroom. "Time for bed, Bolly knickers." He said. "Ooh, Mr Hunt!" She burst into a fit of giggles and spun around to face him. She did it too fast and stumbled slightly. Gene caught her and their eyes met. Before she knew it, her face was moving closer to hers, their lips just centimetres apart. As she kissed him, nothing else in the world mattered at the moment. Her lips were so soft, the taste of her lipstick and wine danced on his tongue. His head began to spin. Alex's heart was racing. What was she doing? She couldn't stop though, hell she didn't want to stop! After seconds, which felt like a lifetime Gene pulled away. As Alex looked at him, he suddenly felt very sober. "Shit... Oh god Bolls." He muttered. "What?" She asked. "I shouldn't have kissed you back... You're vulnerable." He sighed, moving away from her. Tears filled her eyes as she sat down on the bed. "I think I'd better sleep on the sofa tonight." He said quietly and left the room.

She lay in bed, her head spinning from thoughts. All she could remember was the kiss. So tender, yet so passionate at the same time. She could still feel his lips against hers. A lone tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away, sighing heavily as she stared at the ceiling. 'Maybe he doesn't want me because I'm damaged goods. But why would he kiss me back?' She thought to herself. She growled with frustration and hit the pillow. She couldn't lose him. He was her constant; the only person she had and could trust in this place.

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Three weeks had passed and things were still awkward between Alex and Gene. He'd stopped spending time with her, visiting her at her flat. She was still going to the counselling sessions but felt they weren't helping her as much as she'd expected them to. She needed Gene to support her, to help her through this. Work was always awkward if they had to spend time on their own together. She never knew what to say to him and he was scared of upsetting her.

Alex had been dreading this day for weeks. It was the trial today. She prayed that Jim Keats would finally get what he deserved. She got ready to go to court, putting on a smart blouse and trousers. She didn't bother with make up because she knew she'd just cry and ruin it all anyway. She tied her hair up, noticing how thin and gaunt her face had become, her eyes had dark rings beneath them from the lack of sleep and exhaustion. She sighed, hoping that after today she'd be able to put things behind her and possibly try and get back to normal. She wondered whether Gene would offer his support or even speak to her. Probably not, he was disgusted at the sight of her.

She left the house and got into a taxi which took her to court. She paid the driver and climbed out, shutting the car door. She hesitated for a minute before making her way inside. No matter what she did today, it would affect her life in a huge way.

After an hour of waiting she was called into the courtroom. Her hands shook and her heart raced as she walked inside. Everyone was looking at her but she didn't care about that. It was just him. His presence made her feel like she wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. She sat down and stared ahead of her. She didn't even notice Gene sit beside her, covering her hand with his. Her head snapped up and she looked at him, confused. "I'm sorry." Was all he said. She nodded, feeling a tiny little bit calmer than she did before.

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"I hear by find you guilty of sexual assault, kidnap and attempted murder of Alexandra Drake. I sentence you to fifteen years of imprisonment." The judge said. The words were like music to Alex's ears. It was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do; stand up there and testify against Keats. But it was worth every second of it because now she was free. She could finally move on and stop letting him rule her life. Tears rolled down her cheeks as he was taken away. She felt a mixture of relief, sadness and happiness. Her stomach stopped churning but her heart was still racing. Gene wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "He's gone now, Bolls, nobody's going to hurt you ever again." He whispered. "Thank you." She whispered before moving out of his arms, wiping her eyes. "Come on, let's go and celebrate." She smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: sorry it's taken me so long to update and I'm sorry for the quality of this chapter also. I have a lot of things going on in my life at the moment. **

As soon as they got to Luigi's, Gene bought a round of drinks for everyone to celebrate.

Several hours and drinks later, Alex was stood at the bar on her own, thinking. She finally felt like this was a new phase of her life, there was no darkness looming over her. The anxiety had disappeared and she finally managed to relax. She didn't realise that Gene had come over until he wrapped an arm around her waist discreetly. "Hey." She said, looking at him. "Hello Bolls." He replied. God she wanted to kiss him. It wasn't the time, neither was it the place and he wasn't interested in her anyway. "I'm going to head up, I'm tired and it's been a long day." She said quietly. "Okay… g'night Alex." Gene said, removing his arm from her waist. She grabbed her jacket and went up to her flat alone, sighing softly as she unlocked door and went inside.

About twenty minutes later, Alex had just got out of the shower and was putting her nightshirt on when there was a knock at the door. She finished doing the buttons up and went to answer it. Stood there, was a very drunk Gene, holding a bottle of wine. "Don't you think you've had enough of that?" She laughed. "Come t' celebrate wi' you." He slurred. She shook her head and took the bottle from him as he staggered inside her flat. She shut the door and went into the kitchen, putting the wine into the cupboard and made them both a coffee instead. She found Gene slumped on the sofa, muttering to himself. She handed him the coffee and sat down with hers. "This isn't coffee." He frowned. "I really don't think you need any more to drink Gene." She laughed. "Bloody women." He smirked. "Charming! You really are a misogynistic dinosaur Gene." She pouted. "I'm only joking Bolls, you know how I feel about you." Alex felt her cheeks burning and she cleared her throat. "No I don't." She whispered, looking at him. "I…i… I love you." He said, his speech only slightly slurred. Alex didn't know how to react. Should she be happy, or disappointed that he could only tell her when he was drunk? "Well… erm." She stuttered. "I'm sorry, I just can't return those feelings right now, not after the way things have been." She said quietly. "I understand." He said gruffly, putting his coffee cup down. "I think I'd better go home." "You don't need to be like that." She sighed. "I want you to stay." She covered his hand with hers, looking at him. He nodded, not really knowing what to say. "All I know, is I feel that we both have a connection Gene. I don't know whether I'll be able to love anyone after what I've been through. But what we have is very special." She said. He nodded again, moving his hand to stroke her cheek gently. "Bolly, you need to start looking after yourself. You're a bag o' bones." He sighed. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her eyes locked with his. "Stop apologising Alex, you have nothing to be sorry for." She nodded, looking down at her hands.

They sat and talked all night long until Alex was exhausted. She stood up and yawned, stretching. "Want me to sleep on the sofa?" Gene asked. "No, I'm not going to let you sleep on the sofa." She laughed, taking hold of his hand, walking into the bedroom with him. She climbed into bed as she already had her pyjamas on and watched as he took his shirt, belt and shoes off before climbing in beside her, his arms snaking around her waist, holding her close. "G'night Bolls." He whispered, his nose buried in her hair. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes as they both drifted off to sleep together, neither of them had a worry in the world.

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The sun filtered through the gap in the curtains as Alex slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times as her vision cleared and she yawned. She was crushed against Gene's chest, his strong arms wrapped around her. She sighed with content and placed a gentle kiss on his brow. He stirred but did not wake. She laughed quietly and kissed his brow again, her fingers playing with a piece of his hair. His eyes opened seconds later. "Morning." He said gruffly. "Good morning." She smiled. "How did you sleep?" He asked her. "Great, I didn't have any nightmares… it feels good." She nodded. "I'm glad. Everything is going to be okay now Alex." He said before sitting up. "I know." She smiled, climbing out of bed.

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A few weeks passed and Alex was feeling better than ever. She'd stopped burying her body in clothes that swamped her. She'd put weight on, she didn't look exhausted anymore and her sparkle had come back. She threw herself into her work, getting things done quicker. Gene had noticed a huge change in her, she smiled more. She was the old Bolly, the one he knew. They were growing closer. He'd arranged to go on a date with her tonight. He was pretty nervous. What was a gorgeous woman like her doing, interested in him? He couldn't believe it.

As soon as work was over, Alex rushed over to her flat to get ready. Her stomach was doing somersaults. She wanted tonight to be perfect.

Two hours later, she'd just finished doing her hair and got her dress out of the wardrobe. She removed her silk bathrobe before slipping into her dress, putting her heels on. She then moved to look in the mirror as she zipped her dress up. It was black with tiny little beads sewn on which shimmered in the light when she moved. Her front was completely covered up, but her back was exposed. The dress stopped just above her knee and showed the right amount of her legs without it being too tarty. With a quick spritz of perfume, she was now ready. As she heard a knock at the door, the butterflies in her stomach intensified and she grabbed her clutch bag and made her way to the door, answering it. Stood there was Gene, holding a bunch of roses. "For you…" He thrust them into her hands and she laughed softly. "Thank you. They're lovely. I'll just put them in some water and then we can go." She turned around and walked back inside. Gene's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He wanted to rip that dress off her. He managed to control himself by the time she'd returned. "Ready?" He asked, holding his arm out for her once she'd locked the door. "Yes." She nodded with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

As they entered the restaurant, all Alex could think about was the fact that Gene had his hand on her back, touching her skin. Shivers ran down her spine as he traced small patterns with his finger. They were shown to a table and Alex sat down, watching Gene as he took his seat. He picked the menu up and frowned at the foreign name of the dishes. As it was French, and Alex spoke it fluently she quite easily read what each one was. "Help me Bolls… I can't read a fuckin' thing." He said in hushed tones, frustrated. She couldn't help but laugh as she translated the menu from him.

They spent the next few hours enjoying the food and wine, speaking amongst themselves. Alex noticed yet another different side to Gene. The tough, macho front had gone and in its place was a caring, easy going persona. He smiled, which he rarely ever did nowadays and butterflies formed in Alex's stomach. He was so relaxed, perhaps a little tipsy from the wine that they had consumed. But then again, she was also tipsy, giggling when Gene said something funny. They paid the bill once they'd finished eating and left the restaurant hand in hand. The cold winter night made Alex regret not bringing a coat. Gene noticed her shivering and wrapped his coat around her shoulders. The smell of cigarettes and Gene's cologne drifted up to her nostrils, making her feel dizzy. She couldn't believe the effect he was having on her. His lips brushed her cheek, making her skin tingle. She smiled as he slipped his arm around her waist.

They arrived at Alex's flat ten minutes later and Alex let them both inside, hanging Gene's coat up for him. As soon as she'd finished, she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. She smiled, leaning back against him. "Would you like a drink?" She asked, the butterflies starting again. "Yeah, whiskey." He said, pressing his lips against her neck gently. A shiver ran down her spine and she pulled away, walking into the kitchen. Her hands shook as she poured them both a measure of whiskey. She was nervous about what would happen tonight. She knew Gene wouldn't hurt her, but it still didn't stop her from feeling the way she did.

She walked through to the living room and handed Gene his glass before taking a seat beside him, kicking her heels off. As she tucked her legs underneath herself, her dress rode up; revealing the top of her stockings and Gene smirked, slowly running his hand up her leg. Alex knocked the rest of her whiskey back, her hands shaking slightly as she put the glass down. As she turned around, she found that Gene had moved very close to her. She looked into his eyes as he stroked her cheek gently. "You're so beautiful Alex." He whispered as he leaned closer, closing the gap between them both. The kiss was soft and tender; Alex's heart was racing, her head spinning. Gene snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her again. This time it was passionate, raw. Alex could taste the whiskey that Gene had just drunk and cigarettes. Things began to stir between her legs, she could feel her cheeks becoming flushed as they kissed, her hand tangled in his hair. His fingers wandered over the curve of her arse, then trailed up her spine, eliciting a slight moan from her. She pulled away, her lips swollen from their kissing, her cheeks flushed. "Bedroom…" She whispered, getting up and taking his hand.

Once in the bedroom, she kissed him again, undoing his tie and pulling it off. His hand found the zip at the side of her dress. He pulled it down slowly, breaking away from the kiss, trailing his lips down her slender neck. He inhaled the scent of her perfume and growled.

He picked her up and threw her unceremoniously onto the bed, a smirk on his face as he loomed over her, tugging her dress down revealing her gorgeous body. He'd been dreaming of this moment for a long time. Her eyes were dark with lust, the pulse between her legs beating harder than before and Gene felt the blood rush to his groin. She chewed her bottom lip, staring at him. He groaned and kissed her passionately as she began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He massaged her breasts, his lips trailing down her neck, over her chest until he reached his goal. He latched on to one hardened nipple, sucking gently. Alex moaned, gasping quietly as she pulled his shirt off. His hand trailed up her thigh slowly. He reached her knickers and tugged them down, leaving the stockings and suspenders on. He could already smell her musky scent, it was driving him wild. He circled his thumb over her clit which made her whimper and moan more. "Tell me what you want Alex." He growled as he curled his fingers inside her. "You…please." She begged, her skin flushed, chest heaving. He quickly removed the rest of his clothes, moving over her. He kissed her again as he guided himself inside her. He felt her gasp against his lips and groaned. She felt amazing. He gripped her hips and began to thrust slowly, taking his time. Moving his hands to grab her ass, she curved her hips towards his, allowing him to slide deeper inside her. He hissed, groaning quietly. "Oh god..." She let out a quiet moan, already feeling the orgasm build up inside her, ready to let go. "Gene." She gasped. "Harder please." She begged. He complied and propped himself up on his elbows as he picked up the pace, moaning her name, their lips, tongues and teeth clashing together as they kissed. She ran her hands down his back, digging her nails in as she went, her moans, gasps and whimpers growing louder as he pounded into her. She couldn't hold on any longer and gave in. White hot heat seared through her body as she orgasmed, screaming his name until her throat was sore. He came not long after, grunting her name. They rode out their orgasms before Gene collapsed on top of her, their sweat mingling in the steamy room. Alex stroked his hair, her hands shaking, her skin tingling as she regained her breath. "Oh my..." Was all she could say. She felt rather than heard Gene's chuckle as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before he lifted his head to look at her.

Gene held her in his arms as they basked in the afterglow, his hand slowly trailing up and down her back. "Mmm, that feels really nice." Alex sighed, her eyes growing heavy as she fought to stop herself from going to sleep. "I have really enjoyed tonight." Gene whispered as he kissed her forehead. "Me too, thank you Gene. I feel so relaxed and a lot happier now." She smiled. "Good, I've got my old Bolly back." He said, gazing into her eyes. "Yes you have, and I'm here to stay."


End file.
